Say The Words
by ThisAccountIsNowInactive354085
Summary: They've been best friends as long as they can remember, but what happens when both of them want more but can't say the words? Also, can a certain someone fill the hole left in Yaya's heart? ChikaruXShion, YayaXTsubomi, minor KizunaXRemon
1. Prologue

**I'd Lie**

**Pairing: Shion/Chikaru**

**A/N: Mostly Chikaru's POV, but some parts will be Shion's- don't worry, the distinctions will be evident. Please read and review! This is my first Strawberry Panic Fanfic- I was listening to the song and thought that it described both of them perfectly at points, especially if they ever were together. I might just make this into the prologue to a major story if I get enough positive feedback, so if you like, PLEASE review!**

_I don't think this passenger's seat_

_Has ever looked this good to me…_

Chikaru sat quietly beside Shion, the blonde, hot-headed president of Spica, one of the three schools on Astrea Hill. Shion was on her feet, in the midst of an insult war with Miyuki- in short, a normal day. She smiled softly and leaned back, content to watch her lion-like best friend and take the passenger's seat as usual, never speaking up, always watching, always thinking. Shion and Miyuki no doubt thought it was because she preferred to remain outside of the fight, and maybe that was a part of it. But the main reason Chikaru Minamoto sat back and said so little was because she was so enraptured by how beautiful Shion was when she was passionate about something.

But Shion was always beautiful.

_She tells me about her night,_

_And I count the colors in her eyes…_

"Can you _believe _her? I mean, the _nerve _of that girl- I don't know how she ever became Etoile in the first place!" Shion ranted, more frustrated than angry, as usual, though Chikaru seemed to be the only one who ever recognized the distinction. "This is why the Etoile should be from Spica!"

"Ara," Chikaru noted, her cheek resting in her palm as she smiled that enigmatic smile up at the frustrated Spican. They were sitting in the school cafeteria at one of the smaller, two-person tables, Shion going off on tangent after tangent and Chikaru listening good-naturedly because, well, she was _Chikaru. She's so cute like this…I just want to kiss her- how would her lips feel against mine, I wonder? Certainly more pleasant than a man's…she's got the most beautiful eyes, I wonder if she knows…_

"Chikaru-chan!" Shion cried in an indignant voice. The Lilim president jumped slightly and refocused her attention on the frustrated girl in front of her. "Have you been listening to anything I've said at all?"

Chikaru could only smile (as usual, smile and maybe she'll realize that you're sitting here, just waiting for her, always waiting…) and say, "Every word, Shi-chan."

Shion huffed and looked away to conceal the slight blush from Chikaru's easy use of her nickname- no one else dared to be so familiar with her.

_She'll never fall in love she swears_

_As she runs her fingers through her hair-_

_I'm laughing 'cause I hope she's wrong._

It was summer break, and Shion had strategically planned out a time and place for them to meet- strictly to discuss school business of course. But the topic veered rather quickly.

"I hate the summer," Shion grumbled, chasing some food around her plate with a spare chopstick. "It's too hot and there are too many boys just running wild, ignoring your personal space…"

Chikaru raised an eyebrow, though inside she was quickly filling to the brim with (unwarranted) hope. "No summer romance for you, Shi-chan?"

Shion scoffed. "I don't need a _man _tying me down. Love is for those who don't want to be independent- it's pointless and only gets in the way."

As quickly as it had come, all the hope was sapped from Chikaru's system, but she didn't let it show. Instead she only smiled (always smiling) and giggled.

Shion huffed. "What's so funny?"

Chikaru only shook her head- how could she explain that she was only laughing to keep the tears at bay?

_And I could tell you,_

_Her favorite color's green-_

_She loves to argue, _

_Born on the seventeenth._

"This is ridiculous," Shion raged, shoving a sheet of paper at Miyuki. "_Your _student needs to start attending the meetings- I'm sure she can defile the population of Miator on her own time! We need her _here_!"

Miyuki bristled at the insult, though Chikaru suspected it had nothing to do with school pride, but she said nothing as the Miator president rose to her feet.

_And here we go again_, Chikaru thought vaguely. Sometimes she wondered if Shion picked these fights on purpose, but then decided it didn't matter. It was part of the reason she'd fallen for the Spican, after all.

_She stands there then walks away,_

_My God if I could only say,_

"_I'm holding every breath for you…"_

"Hmmm…Shi-chan? Wha…what's wrong?" Chikaru asked, blearily wiping her eyes as she opened the door to her dorm room. The blonde Spican was standing there, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt. Chikaru frowned slightly- Shion never fidgeted. "Shion?"

"It's…I was talking to Shizuma…"

"Etoile-sama?" Chikaru asked, unsure why Shion was telling her this. "Did you get her to come to the meetings? Good for you…" She brought a hand to her face to cover a wide yawn and stepped back to allow Shion to walk in, but she stayed where she was.

"Eh…no….that was my intention, but she was with Nagisa-chan," Shion began, her eyes focused on the ground. "I asked her what was so important that she had to miss meeting after meeting for it and the way she looked at her was just so…" Shion paused, unsure how to continue.

"Yes, I think she loves her," Chikaru said, leaning against the doorframe. "It's so nice, especially after the incident with that poor girl…"

"Yeah," Shion said distractedly. "It's just, I recognized the look on her face and I felt like…I knew it from somewhere and I…came here…"

"Why?" Chikaru asked, tilting her head.

Shion opened her mouth and then closed it again, looked up at Chikaru and back down at the floor, and finally said, "You know what? I forgot where I'd seen it. Maybe it was just when she was around that other girl and I recognized it again." She was speaking quickly now, like she was running out of oxygen. "Sorry for waking you."

"Shi-" Chikaru tried to stop Shion, but it was too late- the girl was already speeding away towards her own room. Slowly closing the door, Chikaru pressed her lips together and fell back against it, staring up at the ceiling. "I love you," she said quietly, but only the air heard.

_She'd never tell you, _

_But she can play guitar._

_I think she can see through_

_Everything but my heart._

"It's just ridiculous and unprofessional, that's all I'm saying," Shion finished, her arms folded over her chest. Another Etoile-less meeting had just passed, and she and Chikaru were sitting on the bench at the edge of the forest.

Sometimes Shion wondered why Chikaru put up with her temper and her rants when no one else would, but as soon as that thought occurred to her, it also brought Chikaru to her mind, and she left entirely for hours on end.

Chikaru was so talented- she single-handedly ran three quarters of the clubs at Lilim. _And she's beautiful…_It always shocked Shion how so many girls could fall all over Shizuma and Amane (she didn't even _look _like a girl, what were they thinking) and not even notice the beautiful, soft-spoken, kind-hearted president who'd captured Shion's heart before she even knew what love was.

And she was _so _smart- she was at the top of her class, right alongside Shion herself, but that didn't even begin to show how perceptive Chikaru was. She could read any emotion- any situation with just a glance- just a glance and it was over.

And yet she couldn't see what was right in front of her- that Shion would buy her anything she could ever want- that she'd bring her any star she ever asked for.

"_But sometimes, people only see what they want to see."_- Her mother's voice echoed through her ears.

And surely, Chikaru would never want her best friend to be so completely and utterly in love with her. No one wanted that.

_And if you asked me if I loved her…_

Shion was picking up her things and getting ready to leave the meeting room- Chikaru had already left and that insufferable Shizuma had decided to attend for once, making them the only two in the room. The air itself was crackling with tension.

"Do you love her?"

Shion jumped, her gaze shooting up to where Shizuma was leaning over the table, staring mercilessly into her eyes, her face mere inches away. "Wh-what are you talking about?" Shion spat out in a less-than-threatening manner.

Shizuma raised an eyebrow. "Chikaru-chan- do you love her?" she specified, though her tone made it clear that she didn't think she needed to. "Is that why you ran off without even bothering to fight me that day? Was it Nagisa and I? Did our feelings _scare _you, _Shi-chan_?"

"Of course not," Shion hissed. "I just can't be bothered to waste my time on people like you." She flipped her blonde hair back and stalked out of the council room, not noticing Miyuki and Chikaru only a few feet away. If she had, she might have been suspicious of the way Chikaru was almost cowering- if she had, she just _might _have heard the last part of their conversation.

But that would be eavesdropping, so of course Shion didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

And she _absolutely_ didn't run straight to her room and scream and cry into her pillow for the first time since her first year, either, because that would be unprofessional.

_If you asked me if I _loved _her…_

Outside the council room, Miyuki had stopped Chikaru and asked her the same question. Chikaru's eyes widened for a fraction of a second before she quickly reigned in her feelings, but that fraction of a second had been all the time Miyuki needed.

"You do, don't you?"

Chikaru took a step back just as Miyuki took a step forward- she wouldn't get out of this one so easily. She was letting Miyuki control the conversation- she'd let her defenses down for one moment, and this had happened…so she did the only thing she could think of.

"Of course not," she said, her voice so convincing that she even fooled herself for a moment. But obviously not convincing enough to fool Miyuki, who just shook her head.

She might have said something else if Shion hadn't darted past them at that exact moment, running out of the council room in a way that was very much against the rules. Shizuma sauntered out after her, a bored expression on her face. It was all Chikaru could do to send a glare her way for whatever she'd done to Shion. Shizuma didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "If you think I did that to her, you're wrong," is all she said before leaving, most likely to meet up with Nagisa.

_I'd lie._


	2. Chapter One

**Say the Words**

**Chapter One: If I Could Lie Like This Forever**

**Author: themajoritylied**

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for your encouraging reviews! I don't usually write longer stories but I figured I'd give it a shot! I 3 Chikaru (who doesn't, anyway?), and she totally deserves to have some kind of love interest, and for some reason, I just see her and Shion together (opposites attract?). Anyway, Shion/Chikaru (Shikaru xD) FTW!**

Chikaru sat at her desk, her cheek propped up with her hand as she watched the soundless words slip from the teacher's lips. It wasn't like her to zone out like this, but she was experiencing about a hundred different kinds of emotions all at once, and classwork would have to take the backseat.

First and foremost, she was worried. About Shion, about Miyuki and what she most certainly knew (there was no way she'd bought Chikaru's excuse a few days back), about Shion, about Tamao, who was getting more depressed by the minute, about _Shion_…

The bottom of Chikaru's pen pressed against her lower lip as she fell into deep thought, remembering that night just days before- Shion had literally bolted from the council room, presumably to her dorm room. Chikaru had instantly glared at Shizuma, positive she'd done something (because Shizuma _always _does something- it's not like it wasn't an accurate accusation) and regretted it a moment later when Miyuki's eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs. It wasn't like Chikaru to be hostile in any way, shape, or form unless she was truly passionate about something. And if she'd been convinced of Chikaru's platonic feelings before, she certainly wasn't anymore.

But it was Shizuma's words- the expression on her face that was bothering Chikaru so much that she couldn't focus on anything but her thoughts. That triumphant, slightly accusatory smirk that told Chikaru that the playgirl knew something she didn't, and she was going to _enjoy _watching her suffer.

"Shi-chan," Chikaru murmured without quite thinking about it as she stared at the back of the girl in front of her. Her blonde hair was tied back with a ribbon, but when she turned to look at Chikaru curiously, there was absolutely no further resemblance. Chikaru managed a blissful smile and sighed once the girl turned her head again.

**PGBR**

"What's wrong, Chikaru-onee-sama?"

Chikaru snapped out of her daze and found herself staring into the wide eyes of Kagome and Oshibaru only centimeters away from her face. Kizuma and Remon were watching her concernedly over their thumb war. It was Kizuna who'd voiced the question. "I'm fine, Kizuna-chan," she said with a smile, and the two older girls were satisfied, going back to their thumb war before Kizuna pulled her special trump card and kissed Remon out of the victory. But Kagome didn't move.

"Oshibaru says you're lying," she said in her usual slow, spacy voice. "Oshibaru says you're sad because something happened with Shion-senpai."

Chikaru couldn't help but smile sadly at the youngest member of her many clubs. She didn't know how Kagome had known about Shion, but it didn't surprise her that the girl knew there was _something _wrong. "Shi-chan is…difficult," Chikaru agreed, rolling the words over in her head before speaking carefully.

"Oshibaru says you should talk to her," Kagome said bluntly, her eyes as blank and misty as ever.

"Does he, now?" Chikaru asked with a smile, and she reached over and patted the bear's head before leaning down to kiss Kagome's. "I think maybe Oshibaru is right."

Kagome nodded, hiding most of her now-red face behind the bear. Chikaru smiled honestly for the first time in days- Kagome was just too cute for her own good. Someday, someone would fall in love with that face and then…Chikaru made a face and shook the thought out of her head. The motherly aspect of her wasn't too agreeable with that prospect. Not at all. If a boy ever hurt Kagome…if he ever broke her heart…but recently Kagome had been spending more and more time with Chiyo, and if there was anyone Chikaru was sure she could trust with her Kagome's heart, it was the soft-spoken first year.

Deciding to switch gears before she left to find Shion, Chikaru leaned closer to Kagome, smiling broadly. "Are you going to meet up with Chiyo-chan tonight?"

Instantly, the little girl's face flushed twice as red, and she nodded into Oshibaru.

Chikaru's grin widened and she leaned forward again, unable to help herself from kissing Kagome's forehead one more time. "I'm glad."

**PGBR**

Chikaru sighed and slumped down onto a bench just outside of Spica- two and a half hours of searching and all she'd managed to find was Shizuma and Nagisa in the midst of a passionate…embrac. And if she was honest, she couldn't even call that finding, since they weren't exactly trying to hide it- Shizuma had Nagisa pressed up against the wall next to the gates of Astrea Hill, marking her territory for all to see.

_Typical Shizuma_, Chikaru thought, and a small smile worked its way onto her face. _But at least she's finally found love again_.

Just as Chikaru was about to stand up and retreat to her dormitory for the night (this was _far _from over- tomorrow she'd call in Kizuna and Remon), a rustling came from her left, and she turned her head just in time to see Shion striding past, flanked by Kaname and Momomi, talking to them in hushed whispers. Undoubtedly they were discussing the downfall of Miator and _Shizuma Hanazono_, judging by that adorable, irked expression on Shion's face.

Smiling hesitantly, Chikaru stood and stepped into their path. Kaname and Momomi, who seemed bored by this point, immediately went around her and headed back to their dorm for E.L.B.S (Evil Lesbian Bath Sex), but Shion, who was completely and wholly wrapped up in her latest tirade, ran right into Chikaru. Luckily the Lilim president had been waiting for the impact, knowing Shion so well, because even when she was prepared, she was still almost knocked backwards by Shion's purposeful stride.

As it was, she stopped them both easily from crashing to the ground and smiled gently at Shion, who looked at her with wide eyes for a moment before shaking her head. "Uh, hi, Chikaru," she said, not completely meeting Chikaru's eyes. "What are you doing here? I mean, it's not that I don't want you here or anything- not to say that I _do_, but- I mean, I wasn't-"

Chikaru giggled as Shion became more flustered by the moment. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she admitted, tilting her head and looking into Shion's eyes, frowning just slightly. "Are you?"

Shion looked shocked for a moment before regaining face. "Of course I am," she said with a huff. "What makes you think I wasn't?"

Chikaru's smile widened and she shrugged, bending over slightly so she could look into Shion's eyes- the Spican was directing her gaze at the ground. "Just checking," she said, then, without warning, kissed the flustered Shion's cheek.

Shion's eyes widened and she looked at Chikaru, shocked. "What was that for?" she asked, but not in an accusatory way. Instead she just sounded confused, and maybe a little bit embarrassed, judging by the way her cheeks were rapidly darkening.

Chikaru just kept smiling. "Do I need a reason to kiss my best friend, Shi-chan?" she asked, though secretly she was becoming nervous.

Shion flushed. "Don't say that so loud," she said, her voice lowering. "We're supposed to be enemies, you know."

Chikaru frowned and pouted just slightly. _Keep pushing it…just a little bit more… _Chikaru knew Shion was easily flustered when it came to showing affection and emotions, and she was playing on that trait to help her. "I thought that was you and Miyuki-san?"

Shion sighed helplessly. "The main rivalry, yes, but technically Lilim is our rival, too," she said patiently, as if explaining basic math to a kindergartener.

Chikaru's insides sank- if Shion wasn't open to being _friends _in public, there was no chance she'd _ever _consider dating. At least not open dating, and Chikaru was positive she couldn't be in a relationship with Shion and act like there was nothing there but friendship. She wanted to be able to hug her, to kiss her, to hold her for the rest of the world to see. _And now I sound like Shizuma-sama… _"But Lilim doesn't see it that way," she said.

A noise rumbled from Shion's chest that sounded almost like a growl, and Chikaru was overwhelmed by the urge to snake her fingers through that blonde hair and just kiss her right there, but she held back- a thing that was becoming harder and harder to do. "Lilim needs to start taking things more seriously," Shion grumbled, her arms folded over her chest.

Chikaru tilted her head and smiled blissfully. "Ara, but it's more fun if you don't, Shi-chan," she said playfully, stepping closer to Shion, whose face was now redder than Nagisa's hair. Secretly, it delighted Chikaru to see that she was able to have this kind of effect on the hot tempered, stoic president of Spica, even if it meant teasing her in a Shizuma-esque spirit.

And speak of the devil…

**PGBR**

"What are you two doing out here so late?" Shion barked as Shizuma and Nagisa walked past, hand-in-hand. Nagisa visibly flinched, but Shizuma only raised an eyebrow. "As president of Spica, I cannot condone your behavior any longer, Shizuma-sama!"

"Oh?" Shizuma asked, clearly amused, taking a step closer to Shion while Nagisa decided it would be safer just to run off to the Strawberry Dorms like a good little schoolgirl. "And what does the president of Lilim have to say on this matter?" she asked, quickly switching gears and smiling enigmatically at Chikaru.

Shion bristled. _Of all the people to find out, it just _had _to be that baka excuse for an Etoile…_

"I don't have anything to say on the matter," Chikaru replied with that ever-present smile. Shizuma smirked and something inside of Shion growled- that smirk was never a good sign for her. Or any other girl, for that matter, but for a different reason entirely. "How are thing with Nagisa-chan?"

Shizuma's smirk widened and Shion felt like screaming. Chikaru was falling right into her trap. "As well as can be expected by one as inexperienced as Nagisa," she said with a shrug.

_That's bull- it's complete and total _crap. _Can't you see it in her eyes?_

Shion was surprised that Chikaru wasn't backing away or making any effort to end the conversation- surely her perceptive friend knew where this was going?

"Ara," Chikaru stated, tilting her head. "No, I don't suppose she has very much experience at all."

Shizuma took a step closer to Chikaru, completely unaware of Shion's eyes glaring a hole right through her stupid, dumb head. "She might not, but I do," Shizuma purred, not even trying to hide her flirting by this point. Shion took this disrespect as a slap to the face- Shizuma knew how she felt- she _knew_, and still…

"Really, Shizuma-_sama_?" Shion spat, unable to keep silent anymore. Shizuma turned slowly to face her, one eyebrow raised. Shion was fuming, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "I've seen better attempts at seduction by Hikari-chan. Everyone here- the whole _school_- knows how much experience you have and if she wanted a taste of that, surely she would have come to you on her own!"

Shizuma smirked and leaned in so she was an inch from Shion's face. "I'll have her _coming _all night, _Shi-chan_," she purred, her eyes a challenge.

That was the last straw for Shion- she raised a hand as if to slap Shizuma, but changed her mind at the last minute and whirled around, stalking away from the area in a haze of anger and jealousy. She heard the footsteps behind her, but only slowed down once she was just outside the Strawberry Dorms.

**PGBR**

To Chikaru's elation, it seemed like Shion did in fact harbor _some _feelings for her at least, and she was eternally grateful to Hanazono Shizuma. Shion was a territorial person by nature- a true Spican through and through- and Shizuma seemed to have picked up on the situation on her own and decided to give Shion a push in the right direction by threatening to take something she considered to be hers.

But the joy faded quickly as Chikaru bit her lip and chanced a glance over at the still-rigid Shion- perhaps she'd gone a little too far with her reponse to Shizuma's blatant flirting?

But that thought was quickly shoved to the back of her mind when the two reached Chikaru's dorm room and Shion turned to face her, looking suddenly hesitant. "Chikaru…," she began, running a hand through her hair. "You know Shizuma's not good for you, right? I mean, she's _Shizuma _and all, and not only will she be hurting you but also Nagisa and…" Shion broke off with a confused expression on her face, like she was trying to find the words.

"Ara," Chikaru said softly, slipping into her room and smiling blissfully at Shion, who was leaning against the doorframe, her arms folded over her chest and her face set in an angry pout. "You're still my favorite, Shi-chan- there's no need to be jealous." She meant the words to be playful, but Shion's expression didn't lighten at all.

"Yeah, well," she muttered, scuffing the ground with the toe of her shoe. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Always," Chikaru replied, smiling up at her. Shion nodded and turned to leave, but Chikaru reached out and grabbed her wrist at the last second, pulling her closer and kissing her other cheek this time. "You're always so worried about one thing or another, Shi-chan," she said affectionately, placing her hand on Shion's cheek. _They were so close…_

Shion tensed for a moment before instantly flushing bright red. She muttered something about making sure Kaname and Momomi weren't anywhere near her expensive collection of bath soaps before shuffling off towards her dorm.

Chikaru watched her go with a smile- maybe this wasn't so hopeless, after all. _But tomorrow_, she thought as she closed her door and headed to bed, _she'd need to bring in reinforcements._

**-end of chapter one…what do you guys think? Remember, if you want updates, I want reviews! There's no point in posting a story if no one's reading! And as an afterthought, do the characters seem OOC at all? Because they're not supposed to… xP**


	3. Chapter Two

**Say the Words**

**Chapter Two: Project "Shikaru"**

**A/N: Hopefully you're all enjoying this- I have no idea where it's going but I do know I'm going to put them together so don't worry! Sorry if the last chapter was a bit OOC- for some reason Shion's character just makes me think she'd be the jealous type? Maybe…Anyway, Reviews=Updates! Especially when I should be watching a boring film for my Composition class and keeping track of when my college class actually starts (I mean, who confuses 8:30 with 8:45?). Lol anyway, enjoy!**

"Attention!" Kizuna called from the front of the room- the usual foursome had been downgraded to a threesome with Chikaru taking her exams, and she had taken charge of the group. "Let the first meeting of the Super Matchmakers' Club come to order!"

"Hai!" yelled Remon, followed by a less enthusiastic noise of consent by Kagome.

"Order! Order in the room!" Kizuna dictated after a moment, banging a gavel (who knows where she got that…) on the teacher's desk. "Today, we will be commencing...," she paused for dramatic effect, "Project 'Get Stubborn Shion-Sama to Realize Her Undying Desire For Chikaru-Onee-Sama!"

There was silence for a few moments after Kizuna announced the plan. Finally Remon spoke up. "Um…Kizuna-chan…"

"What is it, Remon-chan?" Kizuna cried, still hyped up on the moment.

"It's nothing, just…isn't that a little bit long for a codename?"

"…you might be right," Kizuna conceded, visibly disheartened. "Then what should we call it?"

Remon was silent for a few moments before her face lit up. "How about, Project 'Shikaru'? Like in Fanfiction, where they mix the names of the two characters who are going to be paired up?"

Kizuna pumped the air with her fist. "Genius, Remon-chan!" she cried and bounced out from behind the desk, kissing the green-haired girl on the lips. She skipped back to the desk while Remon fell over backwards.

"Let Project 'Shikaru' commence!"

**PGBR**

Chikaru leaned against her elbow on the wooden table in the school library, watching Shion pour over her notes. "So much stress isn't good for you, Shi-chan…," she said with a small smile.

"Well not all of us can pass an exam with flying colors without having studied for a moment," Shion grumbled, not looking up from her books. "Exams are next week, and then it's winter break, and then there are only six months of school and then-"

Chikaru leaned over and pressed the tip of her finger to Shion's nose, effectively cutting off the lion-like blonde. "Shi-chan, you're stressing again," she sang softly, brushing a strand of blonde hair out of the Spican's face.

From around the corner, a pair of girls squealed, holding each other, while a third looked on apathetically, clutching a bear.

"Kawaii!" Kizuna whisper-squealed, holding a notepad covered in writing. "Shion-sempai and Chikaru-oneesama are such a perfect couple!" Remon nodded her agreement.

"Oshibaru wants to know how this is going to help them," Kagome said quietly, still staring straight ahead.

The two older girls paused for a moment before deciding 'Oshibaru' was right. "But…what do we do…?" Kizuna and Remon sighed and slumped down against the bookshelf, completely out of ideas. "Usually Chikaru-oneesama is the one with all the ideas…"

**PGBR**

Back on the other end of the library, Shion was having a hard time concentrating on her work with Chikaru always talking to her, leaning over her, _touching her… _She sighed and slammed her book shut tiredly, raising her eyes to Chikaru's, attempting at an annoyed expression but failing pathetically when she saw the smile on the kind girl's face.

"You win," she said and stood, gathering her books. "If I study any longer, I'll be brain-fried." She sighed. "Besides, you're distracting me," she muttered under her breath, but Chikaru had obviously heard, as the other girl's face lit up and she walked alongside Shion and locked arms with her as they walked out of the library. There was a rustle behind them, and Shion turned, frowning- she could have sworn she saw a flash of pink and yellow disappear behind a large plant.

She shook her head- maybe Chikaru was right about all the studying. It was going to her head. So she shrugged it off and enjoyed the sensation of Chikaru's soft body brushing against hers as they exited the library.

**PGBR**

Chikaru didn't think she could last much longer at such close contact with Shion- she'd just recently discovered how much she enjoyed Shion's touch and how much she wished she could take just one more step further and wrap her arms around her neck, not worrying about boundaries and touches that lasted too long. She didn't think she could control herself much longer, but she couldn't bring herself to pull away.

Shion led them over to an open area of the forest surrounding Astraea Hill, but tensed abruptly and spun them in the opposite direction. "Shi-chan?" Chikaru asked, confused, but not arguing with the tighter hold Shion had suddenly taken on her arm. She bent over so she could see Shion's face from the awkward way the Spican was dragging her- Shion's jaw was clinched and she looked almost angry, something that wasn't exactly unusual, but she had been fine up until a minute ago…

"Chikaru-sama! Shion-sama!"

Suddenly everything became apparent to Chikaru and she couldn't fight back the smile that she felt from deep inside her. She would recognize that voice anywhere- Nagisa. And where one finds Nagisa…

"Nagisa, we were in the middle of something," Shizuma said, coming up from the red-head, a full blown pout marring her features before she saw the two girls and a smirk replaced any other emotion on her face. "Good day, Chikaru…Shi-chan…"

Shion growled, and Chikaru frowned slightly- Shizuma was using the nickname Chikaru had made up against Shion. But the frown was quickly replaced by her usual blissful smile as Shion none-too-subtly moved closer to Chikaru, engaging Shizuma in a convincing, albeit onesided, stareown.

"So," Nagisa began, her voice uncharacteristically loud as it sliced through the palpable tension. "How was everyone's day?"

"Lovely, thank you," Chikaru replied, smiling indulgently at the flustered red-head who was currently having her neck attacked by a particularly horny Etoile, and Shion added sullenly, "Until about five minutes ago." Chikaru elbowed her in the ribs, and Shion whimpered, but didn't attempt to elbow her back, settling for folding her arms over her chest with a disdainful expression instead.

"Ano…" Chikaru could see the gears in Nagisa's brain begin to turn, and all of a sudden the younger girl's eyes went wide and she bowed deeply. "Gomenesai! I didn't mean to interrupt you two!"

Chikaru opened her mouth to argue that she wasn't interrupting anything, but something stopped her, and she just watched as Nagisa practically dragged a smirking Shizuma away from the site.

Shion sighed and slumped to the ground, her back against a tree as she started to massage her temples. "Thank god that's over," she muttered.

Chikaru sat down beside her with a concerned expression- Shion had always had a tendency to throw herself into her work with all she had. Unfortunately, she never seemed to understand that too much work was wearing away at her. Chikaru reached out hesitantly and started to massage Shion's tense muscles, to which the Spican let out an unrepressed moan and turned so her full back was facing Chikaru. "So much stress really isn't good for you, Shi-chan," Chikaru said softly as she worked through the knots. _Don't you see what we could have…? _Shion groaned in reply, and Chikaru giggled and leaned forward, impulsively hugging Shion from behind. For just that moment, with Shion's body pressed against hers, Chikaru felt like she was in heaven.

She regretted it in the next instant, however- Shion had tensed like a coiled spring. Chikaru pulled away slowly and attempted to massage Shion again, but the blonde turned her back towards the tree she had been leaning against moments before.

**PGBR**

"Stupid Shion-sama," Kizuna hissed from behind a tree not so far away. Remon was behind the tree next to her, and Kagome was just sitting out in the open with Oshibaru in her lap. "How dare she make Chikaru-oneesama sad?"

Remon placed a hand on Kizuna's shoulder. "Shion-senpai is just stubborn, Kizuna-chan," she said quietly. "It's obvious that she likes Chikaru-oneesama back, but she's too…too…"

"Hard-assed?" Kizuna muttered unhelpfully.

Remon stuttered for a moment before conceding. "Yeah, that," she said, sighing as she leaned against Kizuna's back. "I'd say we should leave it for a while, but I don't think Shion-sempai is going anywhere without a shove."


	4. Chapter Three

**Say the Words**

**Chapter Three: Bringing in Reinforcements**

**A/N: Side couple time! Mainly because I have a problem with making plots move too fast, but also because I less than three YayaXTsubomi! I mean, Hikari's like, super uke and just…no. Tsubomi and Yaya have this love/hate relationship and that's what I love about them. And Amane's just…no. No no no. NO. Anyway. On to the ficcy!**

"So you see, we need your help," Kizuna concluded with a bow to the person sitting before her. "We'd be in your debt, Etoile-sama."

The aforementioned Etoile had her chin cupped in her hand, gazing up mildly at the younger girl, a spark hidden behind her eyes. "You'd be in my debt…," Shizuma murmured with a small smirk. "What's in it for me, Kizuna-chan?" She raised an eyebrow suggestively, but was quickly defeated by a smack in the back of the head from a miffed Nagisa, even though she knew Shizuma was kidding.

"Please, Etoile-sama," Remon joined in, though her posture had stiffened and she was noticeably closer to Kizuna than a moment before. "We've never seen Chikaru-oneesama like this- it's like she's _happy, _but sort of…not. Like…"

"Like she is enjoying herself, but every moment she's happy makes it a little bit worse," Shizuma murmured. "Because she wants things to go further, but as long as the boundary between herself and that brat Shion, there's a boundary on her happiness."

"Shizuma-sama!" Nagisa complained- she'd been working on getting Shizuma to be nicer, but it obviously wasn't going quite as she'd hoped. Still, she was filled with a certain pride for her beloved, listening to her speak about Chikaru- Shizuma obviously knew more than she showed on the surface.

Kizuna was about to continue her sales' pitch when a shrill voice coming in the opposite direction of the hallway cut her off.

"Yaya-sempai, you baka!" A pink-haired girl was nearly jogging after a much taller, well-developed brunette, her cheeks red with frustration.

"Yaya…chan?" Nagisa asked as the brunette came to a stop in front of them. "What's going on?"

"Will you please take this brat off my hands?" she asked, but a smirk tinted her words. Then she mumbled under her breath, just loud enough so that Tsubomi could hear, "Methinks Hikari should learn to keep her pets on a leash."

Tsubomi fumed, her cheeks puffing out and her arms folded tightly over the front of her baggy sweater. Instead of replying to Yaya, who was now sporting a full blown, mischievous grin, she turned her attention to the group of girls in front of the student council room. "Nothing's going on, Nagisa-sempai," she began, "unless you count this _baka _messing everything up _again_!"

"Who're you calling _baka_?" Yaya retorted, grabbing Tsubomi into an iron grip from behind and grinning as the girl squirmed in her arms. Tsubomi gave in surprisingly quickly after only a few moments, and decided to voice her opinion from Yaya's arms anyway.

She turned, instantly blushing when she realized that with the close proximity, she only stood to Yaya's generous chest. She stumbled over her words a few times, making Yaya smirk even wider. "_Baka_!" she yelled, pushing the older girl away indignantly. "Yaya-senpai doesn't understand that blatantly flirting with someone who's obviously taken might have consequences," Tsubomi finally said, pouting and turning away from Yaya, her arms folded over her chest.

"You're just jealous that you can't have Hikari-_sempai _either," Yaya retorted easily. Tsubomi's posture grew even more rigid, actively taking the bait.

"I am not!" she nearly yelled. "I just think Yaya-sempai's setting herself up for another heartbreak!" The instant the words left her mouth, Tsubomi's eyes widened and she seemed mortified at her words.

Yaya stepped closer so their faces were only centimeters away. "Could it be that Tsubomi-chan wants me all to herself?"

Tsubomi turned about ten shades of red. "Baka!" she cried. "Baka, baka, _baka_! Why would I ever like _you_?"

Yaya grinned cheekily. "Because I'm gorgeous."

Tsubomi growled in frustration and stalked down the hallway with Yaya in quick pursuit.

There was absolute silence for another minute after the two bickering girls (one-sided bickering, as Yaya was simply enjoying the show) left for Spica, and then Kizuna spoke.

"Is it just me or does Tsubomi remind anyone else of a hyperactive version of -"

Shizuma nodded beside her. "I wonder how long it'll be before they hook up," she mused, watching as Yaya playfully grabbed Tsubomi and messed up her hair.

"Yaya-chan's no expert at hiding her feelings," Nagisa said in a concerned voice.

Shizuma pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "But this time, I think she's fallen for the right girl," she said before pulling Nagisa in for a deeper kiss, followed by groping and other, more graphic activities that made Kizuna and Remon reach over to cover Kagome's eyes while leaving quietly.

Once outside, the two older girls sighed. "Well, that accomplished _nothing_," Kizuna stated, "and I'm getting exhausted." She dropped her head onto Remon's shoulder and the other girl did the same, wallowing in their self-misery.

Kagome faced both of them with a blank stare. "Oshibaru says Shion-senpai is mean."

"Of course she is," Remon said miserably, "she's _Shion-senpai_. And to think, if they ever do get together, that'll make her like…"

"Our in-law_,_" Kizuna groaned from beside her. "But she makes Chikaru-oneesama happy." Kizuna sighed and sat up, coming face to face with Kagome's stare, and suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Kagome-chan, when you say Shion-sempai is mean…do you mean the way she gets mad easily?"

Kagome thought for a moment, then nodded into Oshibaru.

"I see…," Kizuna said slowly. Then her face lit up. "Idea!"

Remon frowned slightly at the loss of Kizuna's warm body against hers. "What is it?" she asked blearily, through sleepy eyes.

Kizuna turned to her with a million-watt smile. "Shion-senpai is bad-tempered, and she jumps to conclusions easily, right?" she asked. Remon nodded, having a tiny inkling of where this was going. "So all we have to do is make her _think _Shizuma likes Chikaru, and Shion-senpai will be too angry to think logically, right?"

Remon nodded hesitantly. "Yes, but…are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked. "I mean, we'd be putting ourselves directly in the line of fire, and Shion-sempai _does _have a scary temper."

Kizuna's eyes darkened slightly as she nodded slowly, once. "We'll leave Kagome at home."


	5. Chapter Four

**Say the Words**

**Chapter Four: Unexpected**

**A/N: Finally, it's time for some action (don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Kizuna and Remon's little plan). I just have a few things to say here: first, I've been getting a lot of favorite stories and favorite authors through email, and I do have a few reviewers who are great and keep giving me reviews and advice, so thank you very much! I hate saying this, but I really will want more than a couple reviews a chapter for this story to keep going. I just don't think there's any point in writing a story if no one's reading it. Again, thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed so far!**

**On a more positive (maybe) note, I've started a Yaya/Tsubomi fanfiction on Microsoft Word that I think is going quite well: would anyone be interested if I posted it here?**

**And with that, on to the story!**

Chikaru let out an almost inaudible sigh as she sat back in her chair, waiting for Miyuki to arrive with Shizuma. She wanted to talk to Shion after what had happened the day before, but the Spican president was flanked by both Kaname and Momomi, acting like an invisible force field. Anything she said could and would be used against her. And then Kaname would molest her. It wasn't something she wanted to put to chance at the moment.

But sitting across from Shion, trying desperately to make eye contact while the blonde stubbornly refused to meet her gaze, was killing her. Even if they could never be more, she wanted to at least know that she wasn't going to lose her best friend. It wasn't like yesterday was a brand new thing, either- Chikaru had always been affectionate, and Shion had never taken it the wrong way before. _But maybe that's the problem- what if she took it the _right _way? _

Because this time, the touch hadn't been meant to be friendly- this time was Chikaru losing control for a moment and acting on her feelings instead of her brain. She usually encouraged such thinking, but with Shion, it was a dangerous thing.

"Kaname, Momomi," Shion suddenly said, addressing her two best girls. "Go check on Rokujou-sama and make sure our favorite Etoile isn't being unfaithful, would you?" She was massaging her temples with her fingers, and Chikaru recognized the gesture as Shion's universal symbol for frustration. Kaname paused for a moment, her gaze flitting over to Chikaru for just a split second, before nodding and following Momomi out of the room.

"Chikaru."

The lack of a suffix went straight past Chikaru's mind to hit her heart dead center. "Shi-chan?" she asked in a calm voice, smiling her usual blissful smile. Shion, however, was frowning slightly, as though she wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words.

"About yesterday," she began, "I'm sorry. I mean, at first I just kind of…reacted before thinking about it logically and-"

"Perhaps it's time to abandon the logic, just for today," Chikaru said gently as she stood and walked up

so that she was standing behind Shion, pulling the girl's hands away from her temples. Shion sighed and pressed her lips to the back of Chikaru's hand, leaning her head against the other girl.

Chikaru's eyes widened and her heartbeat increased to twice its normal rate, but she managed to stay calm on the outside, while inside she was swooning at Shion's casual gesture. She didn't want Shion to tense up and pull away, thinking she'd gone too far, like she had yesterday. "But I can't," Shion protested weakly, staring down at the pile of papers before her. "It's almost time for this year's play and I have to make sure everything goes as planned, seeing as no one else will."

"I'll help you," Chikaru said softly, bending over and resting her chin on Shion's shoulder. "I'm not great at logic, but I can make the costumes and take control of the set design."

Shion's chest heaved in and out heavily- Chikaru could feel the blonde's body move beneath her arms- and then the Spican turned to face her, a determined look in her eyes. "Shion…," Chikaru began, taken aback by the force of Shion's look.

Shion pulled out of Chikaru's grip only to stand in front of her, so close that their bodies were touching. Chikaru instinctively looked down, but Shion gently took her chin in her hand and lifted it. "Since when are you so shy?" she asked with a small smile. Her tone practically oozed calmness, but Chikaru felt Shion's hand literally shaking beneath her chin. "You're amazing, you know that?" she continued, slowly moving forward until Chikaru's back was pressed against the far wall. Chikaru's heart stopped for a half second and then resumed its dangerous rate- her wide eyes were focused solely on Shion's lips, and as the Spican drew closer, she realized for the first time that Shion was taller than her. "President of your own school and still you find the time to put everyone else's worries before your own."

Chikaru forced herself to meet Shion's violet gaze and was knocked breathless by what she saw there- Shion was looking down at her with an expression Chikaru had never seen her wear before. All the coldness was gone, replaced by a warmth that sent shivers down Chikaru's spine, and an even stronger emotion behind it that Chikaru didn't dare to place. "I don't have much to worry about at Lilim, though," she finally said in response to Shion's statement. "Compared to Spica and Miator, at least."

Shion just shook her head. "You're the sweetest girl, Chikaru," she said lowly, so close now that their foreheads were touching. "And I…" She paused, her brows furrowing as if she didn't know how to continue.

Beneath her, Chikaru saw her struggle and with the blood rushing through her system like it was on fire, she did the only thing she could think of- she drew her arms up around Shion's neck and tilted her head to the side, allowing their lips to finally meet.

Instantly, Chikaru sensed a change within Shion- she heard the Spican's breath hitch, and felt the hands on her lower back pulling her impossibly closer against the body in front of her.

And there were_ fireworks_- Chikaru never thought she'd experience something like this, and thought she'd always be watching from the sidelines. It was _incredible_. The slightest brush of Shion's lips against hers felt like paradise, and Chikaru wondered what anyone saw in anyone else, because the only thing that seemed _right _was the way they were tangled up in each other right now. Everywhere that Shion's body was pressed against hers felt like something was exploding inside of her, and she none-too-gently pulled Shion down even closer, using her hold around the Spican's neck and rising up on her toes to complete the contact.

It was Shion who broke the kiss (or kisses, Chikaru had lost count), breathing heavily and stepping back just slightly to allow Chikaru room to breathe. Her face was bright red and she was looking at anything but Chikaru. "So, um…," she began tactfully, obviously very out of her element. Chikaru giggled- Shion was always so adorable when she was flustered. "That was…nice."

"Nice," Chikaru repeated, smiling and wrapping her arms around Shion again, resting her chin on the Spican's shoulder. "It was _very_ nice."

She felt rather than heard Shion take a breath to say something else, but then the door clicked, and they shot apart like they'd been hit by a taiser gun.

**PGBR**

Rokujou Miyuki had seen a lot in her seventeen years, having been best friends with _Shizuma_, after all. But the one thing she absolutely had _not _expected to see upon her entry to the council room was the hard-headed, denial-ridden president of Spica engaged in a rather passionate embrace with the easy-going, kind-hearted president of Lilim.

She hadn't said anything since she entered the room five minutes ago- she was so in shock that she had simply walked over to the head of the table and set down her belongings before slumping down into a chair. Now, finally coming out of her shock-induced trance, she looked around the room.

Shion was sitting at her usual seat, staring at the stack of papers before her, nearly scarlet with the force of her embarrassment. She actually seemed to be glaring, but her dazed, 'I just got kissed senseless by the girl of my dreams' expression made the effort futile.

Turning her head to the right, Miyuki saw that Chikaru was blushing as well, though it was much more subtle, and, in complete contrast to Shion, couldn't seem to take her eyes off of the blonde.

Finally, Miyuki decided she'd had enough, and cleared her throat loudly. "So," she began, "obviously my efforts to retrieve Shizuma were in vain," she didn't add the 'Luckily for you', but it was implied, "and I doubt we'll be seeing much of Kaname or Momomi tonight. Do you want to explain to me what I just walked in on?"

Shion growled, still red with embarrassment. "What did it _look _like?" she snapped, obviously not too out of it to fight with Miyuki.

Miyuki's eyes narrowed. "If you want me to do you a favor by not alerting Shizuma to this new…development, I want to know what exactly this development is," she said coldly. "If you two really do have feelings for each other, then obviously there will be no further questions asked. But if you don't, and this was just…"

Shion leapt to her feet, over her embarrassment in a heartbeat, and was now seething, glaring daggers at Miyuki. "If you ever think, even for just one _second_, that I would do something like that to Chikaru- just because that baka did it to you-"

"Shion…," Chikaru said softly, trying to calm her…friend? Girlfriend? Whatever she was, she was too late. Miyuki's jaw was tight, and her eyes were hard, all traces of confusion evaporated.

"This meeting is over," the Miator president said stiffly, gathering her things and walking out. Chikaru winced as the door slammed shut behind her.

Shion hadn't sat back down- she was still on the offensive, her palms flat against the table. "Shi-chan," Chikaru tried again, standing up and running her fingers down Shion's tense arm. The blonde sighed and removed her hands from the table.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, staring at the floor. "I just- what she was implying…" Shion shook her head, unable to continue.

"I know," Chikaru said gently, wrapping her arms around Shion's waist from behind and resting her head on her back. "And I know you'd never do something like that to me. But it's a very sensitive subject to Rokujou-san, and Shizuma…well, you know Shizuma. I'd be very surprised if she doesn't know how Miyuki feels- if she hasn't known for a while, even. She hasn't been too kind about the whole situation. Imagine how it would feel to be in love with someone you knew could never love you back."

Shion turned to face Chikaru, bracing herself against the table behind her. "And do you?" she asked, her eyes boring into Chikaru's as she rubbed her hands with the pads of her thumbs.

"Do I what?" Chikaru asked, stepping forward so that she was leaning against Shion's chest. The Spican slowly wrapped her arms around her waist, holding her in place.

"Love me?"

Chikaru's breath hitched and she raised her head to meet Shion's gaze- the blonde was gazing down at her with what was supposed to be a neutral expression, but Chikaru could see the worry behind it. Slowly, her face broke into a smile and she pressed her lips to Shion's in a brief but deep kiss. "Always," she answered, holding onto Shion's shoulders as the Spican instinctively tightened her grip on Chikaru's waist. "Always, Shi-chan."

"'m glad," Shion said, her voice slightly muffled by Chikaru's hair. "So, I guess I don't know how it feels, then. Poor Rokujou-san- but I wouldn't switch places with her if you paid me. In love with that baka hentai, talk about your poor taste…" Shion made a face and Chikaru giggled, pulling away slightly and meeting her eyes.

"Walk me to my room?"

"Always."


	6. Chapter Five

**Say the Words**

**Chapter Four: Minor Technicalities**

**A/N: So it didn't take them too long to get together, mainly because I'm not great at writing big, dramatic, subtextual epics, but don't worry! There shall be a plot! And more chapters! xD **

**So now, Shion and Chikaru are (unofficially) together, but no one else knows other than Miyuki- meaning that Kizuna, Remon, and the rest don't know either. Uh oh. ALSO! More Yaya/Tsubomi, because they're like, so adorable together, like totally! And I'm kind of semi-obsessed with them for the moment, so yeah. More of that. **

Chikaru woke up the next morning, blinking the slight sunlight filtering in through the curtains out of her eyes. She'd just had the best sleep she'd had in a long time, and the reason for that currently had her arms wrapped tightly around her waist, spooning Chikaru from behind. Shion's warm, rhythmic breathing against her ear was almost enough to put Chikaru back to sleep, but a quick glance at the alarm clock showed that they were already running late.

"Shi-chan," Chikaru began gently, poking the sleeping Shion's cheek.

Shion grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like, "Not on my bed, Kaname," and buried her head deeper into Chikaru's hair. Chikaru giggled and kissed the tip of Shion's nose- the blonde scrunched up her face from the sensation and tightened her hold on the Lilim president.

"Shi-chan, you're going to be late," Chikaru said softly, brushing a stray blonde hair out of Shion's face. She felt a bit guilty when the Spican literally leapt out of bed, but Shion would have been devastated if her perfect attendance record had been broken. Chikaru leaned back against the headboard and watched Shion scramble about for her clothes.

Shion paused momentarily, looking back at the relaxed Chikaru. "Aren't you going to be late too?" she asked, running a brush through her hair.

Chikaru shook her head. "Classes at Lilim don't start for another hour, Shi-chan," she said, sitting up on her knees and hugging the already tense Shion from behind as the Spican sat on the bed to tie her hair back. Shion nodded distractedly- her mind was obviously elsewhere as she slipped into the bathroom to put on her uniform.

Shion was still wearing that same confused, slightly frowning expression when she emerged less than five minutes later, looking just as prim and together as ever, and sat back down next to Chikaru, who was looking at her with a blissful smile. "So I've been thinking," she began, opening her arms to allow the still-sleepy Lilim girl to rest against her chest. Her face flushed bright red when she felt Chikaru's dainty fingers reach up to touch the base of her neck. "What are you doing?" she asked, running a hand through Chikaru's dark hair.

"Nothing," Chikaru replied with her ever-present smile. "I like feeling the vibrations of your voice," she explained a minute later.

Shion's blush darkened, but she cleared her throat and tried again. "I've been thinking," she repeated, obviously hesitant, "that since we both kinda…love each other, it would make sense if we were…you know…dating? Like, you could be my girlfriend…" Shion trailed off, trying to avoid looking down at Chikaru, who was trying to meet her gaze.

"Shi-chan is so cute when she gets flustered," Chikaru said, sitting up slightly and pressing her lips to Shion's warm cheek. "And that would make sense, wouldn't it?"

Shion nodded, and, feeling much more confident, turned on the bed to face Chikaru. "Does this mean you'll be my girlfriend?" she asked, rubbing Chikaru's fingers with her own, gazing hopefully up at her best friend.

"Only if you'll be mine," Chikaru replied, and Shion grinned as the Lilim girl leaned in to press a brief but deep kiss to her lips. "But you have to get to class, love."

Shion scowled. "I know," she said, and gave Chikaru one last kiss before exiting Chikaru's room in a haste to make it to first hour on time.

Chikaru watched her go, and fell back on her bed as the door swung closed, smiling up at the ceiling.

**PGBR**

"So, we're all clear on the plan?"

Affirmative noises were heard from all around the room, except from Nagisa, who had her arms folded over her chest and was pouting shamelessly, and Tsubomi, who was busy arguing with a smirking Yaya, who was currently holding her hostage in a tight embrace.

"Why does it have to be Shizuma again?" Nagisa half-asked, half-whined. "I'm sure there are plenty of other gorgeous, single, lesbian girls at an all-girls' school filled with hormonal teenage _girls_."

Shizuma smirked and bent down to kiss Nagisa's neck. "Because," she began cockily, "no one's as gorgeous as me."

Kizuna rolled her eyes and cleared her throat so she could continue. "Anyway," she said loudly, "Chikaru-oneesama and Shion-senpai have made things easier for us- they're already sitting together, so all that's left is for Etoile-sama to go over and start flirting with Chikaru. If we know Shion-senpai at all, she won't stand there and let it happen for long."

Shizuma gave an exaggerated salute and stood, heading towards Chikaru and Shion as Kizuna and Remon watched in silence- they had indeed opted to leave Kagome back at the dorm, away from the possibly explosive situation. "I feel like we're mixing two very dangerous chemicals," Remon muttered, but upon seeing the excited smile on Kizuna's face, couldn't bring herself to care.

Nagisa was still pouting, and, oblivious to the situation, Yaya still had her arms wrapped tightly around a struggling, bright red Tsubomi. "Why don't you just admit it, hmm?" Yaya asked, grinning devilishly as Tsubomi huffed.

"Admit what?"

"That you _like _me," Yaya intoned, pressing her lips wetly to Tsubomi's cheek.

"Eww!" Tsubomi shrieked, wiping Yaya's kiss off her cheek. "I don't like you like that!" she insisted, but her words sounded more petulant than angry, and her blush had deepened dramatically.

Yaya was about to make an undoubtedly perverted comment, when a loud slam from a few tables away knocked the words right out of her, and the struggle right out of Tsubomi, who unwillingly toppled right into Yaya's lap as the older girl sat down. She tried to move away, but Yaya's arms held her in place, and even Nagisa had been shocked out of her self-misery.

All eyes focused on the table that Shizuma had swept over to a minute before, where the Etoile was currently smirking up at an infuriated Shion.

**PGBR**

Shion's hands clenched into fists on top of the table, her jaw twitching, her eyes narrowed at the girl who had dared to prance over to the table she was sharing with _her _girlfriend and start flirting with Chikaru like she had the right. Shion had sat there and let it happen as long as she possibly could, but when Shizuma had reached across the table to brush a hair out of Chikaru's face, she couldn't stay quiet any longer. Finally, she spoke through gritted teeth, glaring down at Shizuma with all the ice in the world. "If you want to cheat on Nagisa-chan, fine," she growled, "that's none of my business. But _do not_ cheat on her with _my _girlfriend."

"Shi-chan," Chikaru said quietly, gently touching the Spican's rigid arm.

Shion took a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes before opening them again, staring down at Shizuma with all the contempt in the world. She leaned closer to the not-so-smug Etoile until they were only inches away. "Stay away from Chikaru," she said, her voice hard. "I don't want to see you touch her _ever _again. I was willing to let it slide the first few times that you flirted with her, knowing how I felt, but you've gone too far, Etoile-_sama_. " Lowering her voice even further so that even Chikaru couldn't hear her, she met Shizuma's light, olive-green gaze with her own intense violet. "I almost lost her because of my own stupidity, and I am _not _going to lose her because of _yours_. Do you understand?"

After a moment of tense, thick silence, Shizuma managed to pull her face back together into a mild smirk. "Of course, Shi-chan," she said with a wink as she stood up. "Good to know you finally grew a pair."

**PGBR**

Back at their table, the other girls, especially Kizuna and Remon, were watching in wide-eyed shock. The two Lilim girls exchanged nervous glances as Shizuma stood and Shion sat back down with an expression of triumph mixed with concern, looking to a shaken Chikaru. "Oops," Kizuna said quietly as Shizuma approached them with one eyebrow raised.

"Ladies," she said, taking her place beside Nagisa, "I thought we were trying to help them get together. Now obviously, one of two things happened- your plan either worked better than any of us had anticipated, or your oneesama and Shion-san were already together."

"Minor technicalities." Kizuna shrugged off-handedly while Remon shrunk back in her seat.

Across the table, Tsubomi was visibly shaken by the spectacle that had just taken place- she hadn't had a chance to see the president of Spica truly angry before, being a first year, and was clinging to Yaya in a way that would make her cringe if she could see herself. For her part, Yaya was smiling- an honest, happy smile- for the first time since Hikari shoved her away that night so long ago, her arms wrapped around the usually arrogant, loud-mouthed 'brat' she'd become so fond of.

**PGBR**

Shion was still fuming even as she and Chikaru walked out of the lunchroom. Chikaru was being very careful to maintain constant contact with her girlfriend, but Shion still kept shooting glares over her shoulder, towards the silver-haired Etoile. "The _nerve_," she growled as Chikaru led them over to a bench just beneath a cherry blossom tree.

Chikaru moved closer to Shion and rested her head on her shoulder, wrapping Shion's limp arm around herself. "It's just the way she is, Shi-chan," she said, enjoying the feeling of Shion's head resting against hers.

The Spican sighed and lifted her head to kiss Chikaru's hair before settling herself back against her girlfriend and tightening her arm around her waist. "I know it is," she said resignedly, "but that doesn't give her the right-"

"It doesn't," Chikaru agreed, "but what does it matter, Shi-chan? I'm yours, not hers, and I'll never belong to anyone else." She sat up and kissed Shion on the lips to prove her statement. "You can't let her get to you like that, love."

"And that's why I love you," Shion said, pulling Chikaru back with a hint of a smile and lowering her lips to Chikaru's. The kiss began brief- just a brush of the lips- before escalating into something more, Chikaru's arms around Shion's shoulders and Shion's arms pressing Chikaru against her. Chikaru's fingers found their way into the long blonde locks, clutching at Shion's hair as the Spican lowered her down into a lying down position on the bench.

Reluctantly, Chikaru pushed Shion off, giggling at the disappointed expression on the blonde's face. "We're in public, Shion-chan," she said, kissing Shion's nose. "While I have no problem with public displays of affection, we wouldn't want to get too caught up, ne?"

Shion grumbled, but sat up far enough to give Chikaru room to do the same. Her arm instantly found its way around Chikaru's waist again, however, when she caught Shizuma exiting the cafeteria with a pouting Nagisa. "She better stay away from you," Shion growled.

Chikaru giggled and cupped Shion's cheek in her right hand, turning the girl's attention to her before gingerly leaning forward and capturing her lips in a reassuring kiss.

**PGBR**

In the nearby distance, Yaya made a face at the obvious love radiating between the two presidents. "Even Toumori-sama," she said, shaking her head. "What's with people and their lovey-dovey moments?"

Tsubomi huffed beside her. "Yaya-sempai doesn't understand romance," she declared with a flick of her pink hair. Yaya looked down at the younger girl, raising an eyebrow. "Toumori-sama is so romantic, defending their love like that," Tsubomi continued, her hands pressed over her chest, a dreamy expression painted on her face. A few yards away, Hikari appeared to be doing the same, warranting a pained, slightly constipated expression from Amane. Yaya smirked.

_Serves her right, _she thought cockily. _Steal _my _Hikari, will you? Now you'll have to deal with that for the next few months. _Her attention was quickly diverted away from her best friend, however, by a sigh from the pinkette standing beside her. Tsubomi was looking at the couple with a mixture of respect and longing, and Yaya suddenly felt the urge to growl in protest. Her eyes widened as she snapped out of it- what the hell was wrong with her? "Toumori-sama's got a stick permanently lodged up her ass," Yaya muttered before she could stop herself, somehow provoked by the way Tsubomi was gazing at Shion, who had just picked up a flower and threaded it through Chikaru's dark locks.

Tsubomi turned to her with a semi-shocked frown. "What does Yaya-sempai have against Toumori-sama?" she asked Hikari, who had just spotted them and had dragged Amane with her as she ran to greet her two friends.

Hikari frowned, confused. "Yaya-chan doesn't have a problem with Toumori-sama," she said in a hesitant voice, glancing up at Yaya, who was, in turn, glaring at the Spican president. "Unless…" In an unusual show of comprehension, a bright smile graced Hikari's lips and she turned to Tsubomi. "Does you like Toumori-sama, Tsubomi-chan?" she asked, her eyes focused on her best friend, who tensed minutely at her question.

"Well she's passionate, hard-working, and pretty," Tsubomi said, obviously not overly interested in Shion. Out of the corner of her eye, Hikari caught Yaya's jaw tightening.

In all the time that Hikari had known Yaya, the outgoing Spican only ever showed outward jealousy towards anyone once, when Hikari came back from her date with Amane. Even then, they had been subtle, and strangely similar to the emotion Yaya was showing now. Hikari's smile widened- she'd known Tsubomi was in love with Yaya since day one, and knew that Yaya definitely enjoyed being around the pinkette, but it seemed that Yaya's feelings were finally moving on to someone who could return them.

"Whatever," Yaya was saying with an eye roll as Hikari tuned back into the conversation. Her best friend looked truly annoyed now, her arms folded over her chest. Tsubomi was obviously mistaking it for Yaya's playful teasing, and continued to go on about the romantic Spican president, oblivious to Yaya's discomfort.

At that moment, two things happened- Shion spotted Hikari and Amane, causing the latter to flinch as she got up, dragging Chikaru behind her as she approached her favorite choice for the Etoile election. The second, more surprising (and barely more subtle) thing was when Tsubomi felt herself being pulled against something very soft by a pair of strong arms as Shion and Chikaru approached. She flushed bright red and whipped her head around to scold Yaya, but her words caught in her throat at the look on Yaya's face. Her jaw was tight, and her posture was rigid- the older girl was obviously on the offensive- but her eyes… Yaya's eyes were flashing with a mixture of what looked suspiciously like jealousy and something else…something more hollow, something that Tsubomi used to see whenever Yaya would see Amane and Hikari together.

_Geez, she's not really threatened by Toumori-sama of all people, is she? _

Still, Tsubomi didn't pull away. Her cheeks were flushed and her arms were folded over her chest, but she stayed where she was, allowing Yaya to have whatever kind of territorial display she was giving. Tsubomi's heart was beating uncomfortably in her chest, like it was about to explode out of her, like in that American movie with the aliens. She'd had a crush on Yaya for the longest time, but had resigned herself to the fact that she was nothing more than an impertinent kohai to the older girl. Now, for the first time, it seemed like she had a chance, and she'd be damned if she lost it. Usually the unnecessary PDA would have annoyed her to no end, but after having lost Hikari like that, Tsubomi could understand Yaya's reluctance to let go.

_Baka, Yaya-sempai_, she thought to herself, leaning into Yaya's arms as Shion cornered Amane, the blue-haired girl looking to Chikaru for help.

**PGBR**

"Shion-chan," Chikaru began, placing a hand on Shion's forearm as the Spican bombarded Amane with questions. Shion turned to her for a moment, and Chikaru took her chance, stepping well into Shion's personal space, draping an arm over the Spican's neck and lightly massaging it with her hand. "How about we leave this for tomorrow? I'm feeling neglected…" She feigned a pout, and Shion's eyes widened, flustered.

"Oh, don't be, love," she said, stepping away from Amane, who didn't waste any time running off, and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist. "What do you want me to do?"

Chikaru's face broke out into a surprisingly evil grin for the Lilim president and grabbed Shion's arms, leading her towards the Strawberry Dorms. "You'll see…," she said, giggling as Shion's cheeks flushed bright red.


End file.
